Trump Says He’s Seeking a Running Mate Who Can Handle the Oval Office

Republican presidential front-runner and former President Donald Trump takes the stage during a campaign rally at the SNHU Arena in Manchester, N.H., on Jan. 20, 2024. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

With former President Donald Trump closing in on the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential nomination, he’s looking for a running mate who can handle the big job if necessary.

In an interview with Newsmax published on Jan. 22, President Trump said the “biggest and most important quality” to consider would be how that running mate would do as president.

“That’s the purpose,” he said in the interview. “It’s 95 percent of it, I would think.”

President Trump said he’s looking for a choice that’s politically compatible and someone he can work with.

“You really want to make sure that you pick somebody that, should it be necessary—and we hope it isn’t—that they'll be a great president,” he said.

In a Jan. 20 interview with Fox News published on Jan. 21, the former president also fielded a question about a potential running mate. President Trump, who’s already teased that he has a pick in mind, said the move will not affect the election.

“I may or may not release something over the next couple of months,” he said. “There’s no rush to that. It won’t have any impact at all.”

President Trump went on to say that the pick he thinks he likes is “pretty standard,” and people ”won’t be that surprised.”

“But I would say there’s probably a 25 percent chance it would be that person,” he said.

In both interviews, President Trump was asked about his rivals’ chances. In his Jan. 20 Fox News interview, he successfully predicted that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would end his campaign soon. Mr. DeSantis dropped out on Jan. 21 and endorsed President Trump.

In the Newsmax interview, he congratulated Mr. DeSantis on his efforts. He said the candidate had “run a good campaign” and that he was “very honored to get his endorsement.”

Striking Back at Nikki Haley

In both interviews, President Trump took questions about former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley.

In the Fox News interview, he was asked about Ms. Haley’s attacks on his age and mental fitness after he mentioned the candidate when speaking about the events of Jan. 6, 2021, on the campaign trail. He replied that he “aced” a recent cognitive test.

“She’s just trying to get a little nasty because she came in third place,” President Trump said in reference to her finish in the Republican Party of Iowa’s Jan. 15 Caucus.

Republican presidential candidate and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley greets people at T Bones restaurant in Concord, N.H., on Jan. 22, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

President Trump was also asked to explain his calling Ms. Haley a “globalist fool.” She was appointed to her ambassadorship by President Trump and held the post from 2017 to 2018.

“She is a globalist. I’ve always known that about her. And our country cannot be globalist,” President Trump said. “We don’t even have that choice anymore. We owe $35 trillion. And we have to take care of ourselves first.”

The next question was about a new nickname he’s assigned to Ms. Haley: “Nimrod.” The interviewer, Fox News Chief Political Anchor Bret Baier, asked if that was a play on Ms. Haley’s birth name, Nimrata Nikki Randhawa. He had previously dubbed her “birdbrain.”

“With her, it’s just something that came to us ... it’s a little bit of a take-off on her name, wherever she may come from,” President Trump said. ”I have fun with it. And sometimes, to tell you the truth, it’s a very effective tool.”

Finally, Mr. Baier asked about Ms. Haley’s saying President Trump is lashing out at her because he feels threatened.

“I’m not concerned with her at all,” President Trump said. “I think we’re gonna win very big [in New Hampshire.]”

In the Newsmax interview, the former president was asked if he would call on Ms. Haley to suspend her campaign should he win on Jan. 23.

“I would never call for it, but perhaps she should,” President Trump responded.

“Maybe she'll drop out on Tuesday. Let’s see what happens. I don’t ask people to drop out. They have to drop out of their own volition.”